Page 122 - David Bermant Foundation

BASCHET BROTHERS Musical Fountain 1974 58”H x 38”WExcERPT FRoM Sound SculptureS By FRANcois & BERNARD BAscHET By Francois Baschet, 1999(Translated from French)We constructed, with Terese Braunstein-Baudin,a monumental assembly of conical reservoirsemptied by siphons. The water, flowing in haphazard, unpredictable current, turned propellers, which in turn, made bells ring. David loved the fountain. He likedme as well and the feeling was mutual. He asked me to become his partner in a company specializing inthe construction of sound fountains in the U.S., and perhaps the entire world. According to David, we would make a lot of money.Once again, I found myself in one of those moments when one is a master of one’s fate at a crossroads in life where everything is at stake. Instinct, not reason, made me refuse. But why?Was it having read the book The ProtestantEthic Spirit written in 1895 by Max Weber? For the Protestants, as Franklin said, “Time is money.” One praises the Lord by working as hard as he can. Stress is the road to heaven. To work, to earn money is to pray. As far as the glorification of the soul goes, a good nap that allows one to meditate on the uselessness of money, is worth eight hours of sweating in a factory. Thus, through laziness, I passed up American fame and fortune, preferring the sunsets over the Seine that turn Notre Dame from grey to gold. Amen.121